Apparatus for use in perforating the flanges of tank-sections.



PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

D. 0. PAIGE. v APPARATUS FOR USE IN PEBFORATING THE PLANGBS OP TANKSECTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24,1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

3" tam W01.

No. 816,593. 'PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

D. O. PAIGE.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN PERFOR ATING THE PLANGES 0P TANK SECTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.24, 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

q vihwoouo D. 0. PAIGE.

APPARATUS FOR USE IN PERFORATING THE PLANGES 0F TANK SECTIONS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.24, 1905.

PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED sTATns PATENT mom DAVID O. PAIGE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORTO THE PFAUDLER COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEWYORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

Application filed February 24,1905. Serial No. 2 17,121.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID O. PAIGE, of Detroit, in the county of IVayneand State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Apparatus for Use in Perforating the Flanges of Tank-Sections; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this'speciflcation, and to thereference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to improvements in apparatus for renderingthe operation of perforating the flanges of tank-sections and otherannular sheet-metal bodies more convenient and accurate; and the purposeof my invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind which isparticularly adapted for use in supporting tank-sections or otherannular bodies, which are usually massive and inconvenient to handle, inoperative position relatively to the punch or other perforatingmechanism that may be employed and which is provided with devices forbringing the sheet-metal body into proper shape and passing it throughthe perforating device in such a way that the perforations will beaccurately arranged around the flange.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus of this kindconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewof the device shown in Fig. 1, parts being omitted. Fig. 3 is anelevation, partly in section, showing a different form of apparatus; andFigs. 4 and 5 are plan views of the device shown in Fig. 3 looking fromthe bottom and from the top thereof.

The same numerals of reference designate the same parts in the severalviews.

In the manufacture of tanks and other large hollow vessels of sheetmetal they are usually made up of a'plurality of ring-like sections,which are provided with flanges, through which bolts or other securingdevices are passed for securing them together; and the object of myinvention is to provide an apparatus for bringing each of thepartially-completed sections, which are more or less imperfectly shaped,into proper form, so as to conform with a standard contour before theyare passed through the punch or other perforating mechanism, and also toprovide suitable devices for insuring accuracy during the perforatingoperation, so that the apertures of the flanges of the various sectionswill be arranged to register universally and accurately.

I have shown two methods of truing up the annular bodies, each formemployed comprising, generally, a templet 1, which in the presentinstance is annular in form and substantially flat and of sufficientthicknesss to give it the requisite rigidity. This templet is providedwith a series of peripheral notches 2, which are preferably V-shaped andcorrespond in number to the number of apertures that are to be formed inthe flange of the sheet-metal section, the periphery of the templetbeing turned true and adapted to bear against the guide 3, while thesection is being operated upon by the perforating device to retain thesection properly centered, the said guide being supported on theuprights 4, the

latter being secured by the bolts 5 in different adjusted positions onthe ways 6 in order to accommodate templets and sections of differingdiameters.

In that form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 an annularangle-iron 7 of sufflcient diameter to enter within the sides of thetank-sections is attached to the under side of the templet 1, and thisangle-iron is provided at predetermined intervals with the radiallyextending clamping screws 8, the outer ends of which are adapted to bearupon the adjacent walls of the tank-section as they are tightened todraw the section into a given shape, a shoulder 9 being preferablyemployed on each clamping-screw to engage a relatively fixedshoulder 10oi the angle-iron 7 to permit each clamping-screw to be tightened only apredetermined degree, the parts being so adjusted and proportioned thatwhen all of the clamping-screws have been fully tightened the annularsheet-metal body will be accurately trued to insure accuracy during theperforating operation.

It will be understood that a perforatingmachine of any suitable form maybe employed for perforating the flanges of the sec tions, apunching-machine 11 being employed in the present instance having aplunger 12, which carries, preferably, a plurality of punches or dies13, the latter being arranged in an arc concentric with the center ofthe templet when the latter is in operative posii tion relatively to thepunching device 1.1. and i the guide 3, a centering device 14 beingprovided having a V-shaped end to engage in the correspondingly-shapednotches in the periphery of the templet to center the latter, andconsequently the annular section, in operative position relatively tothe dies 13 of the punching device.

In carrying my invention into practice the templet 1 .is firmly securedto the upper flange of the annular section by clamps 15, which areapplied at suitable intervals around the templet and are provided attheir lower ends with a stirrup 15 to engage beneath the opposite edgeof the section, and these clamps are provided at their upper ends withthe clamping-screws 16, which are arranged to bear upon the templet whenoperated to draw the latter and the section firmly together.

In order to conveniently lift the annular section into operativeposition beneath the templet and support it in such a position while theclamps are being applied, I employ the bars 17, which are provided attheir lower ends with hooks 18 to engage beneath the lower edge of thesection, and on these rods are provided turnbuckles or other adjustingdevices 19, which may be operated to elevate the section in order thatit may be brought into proper position beneath the templet, the upperends of these rods 17 being supported by the rings of the hook 20, whichis suspended from a yoke 21, attached to the swivel-plate 22. This plate22 is provided with the apertured lugs 23 to receive the upper ends ofthe supporting-bars 24, and these bars 24 are attached at their lowerends to the eyes 25, which are secured to the templet, and consequentlythe latter will be supported independently of the annular section, whichis suspended by the bars 17, and therefore the position of the saidsection may be adjusted by operation of the adjusting devices 19, whilethe templet is supported in a relatively fixed position by the bars 24,the clamps 14 being then applied and the clamping-screws 16 adjusteduntil the section and the templet are firmly clamped in fixed relation.

Instead of employing the separatelyoperated clamping-screws 8 for truingup the annular section, so as to correspond with the templet the truingdevice (shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5) may be employed, wherein a ring 36,provided with a plurality of suitablyspaced radially-arranged guideways37 is secured to the under side of the templet 1, and in each of theseguideways are mounted the plungers 38, the outer ends of which arearranged to engage the inner surface of the annular sheet-metal sectionat points slightly below the flange thereof, the inner ends of theplungers being pivotally connected to the operating-rods 39, which inturn are connected to the crank-pins 40 of a rotatable plate 41. Thisplate 41 is revolubly supported on a frame 42, rigidly secured to thetemplet, and it is provided with the gearteeth 43, with which the pinion44, supported by the frame 42 and carrying the operatingarm 45,cooperates. When the annular section is being applied to the templet,the op erating-arm 45 will occupy a position similar to that shown indotted lines in Fig. 4, the table 41 at this time being rotated, so asto draw the plungers 38 inwardly, and when the templet and the sectionare in proper relation the operating-arm 45 is moved into the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 4, and this will cause the plate 41 to berotated, operating the rods 39 to simultaneously move all of theplungers 38 outwardly into engagement at given intervals with the innerwalls of the annular section, causing the latter to be drawn into theproper shape, the rotatable plate 41 being locked from movement in thereverse'direction to prevent unlocking of the plungers by the stop 46,which is provided on the pinion 44 and arranged to engage the peripheryof the plate 41 after the latter has been rotated sufficiently to carrythe crankpins across the line connecting the center of motion of thesaid plate and the respective points of attachment of the rods 39 andthe plungers 38.

Any suitable hoisting device may beem ployed for supporting the templetand the annular section and for carrying these parts into and out ofoperative position relatively to the perforating device, that shown inFig. 3 comprising a fluid-pressure cylinder 35, suspended from acarriage 26, the latter being provided with rollers 27, which arecapable of traveling along a track 28, this track being extended intoproximity to the punching device. l/Vithin the cylinder 35 is provided apiston 29, carrying a hook 30, connected by the ring 31 to the hook 32,and this hook 32 is pivotally connected to the swivel-plate 22 by thebolt 33 and nut 34, thereby forming a swivel connection between thehoist and the plate 22, which will enable the parts which are suspendedtherefrom to be freely rotated independently of the hoist.

While the annular section is firmly clamped to the templet and issecurely held in its proper shape either by means of the truing device sshown in Figs; 1 and 2 or those shown in Figs. 3 to 5, inclusive, theparts are brought before the punch while suspended from the hoist, andwith the periphery of. the templet in engagement with the guide 3, whichhas been previously positioned properly, the

notches 2 in, the templet are successively brought into engagement withthe relatively fixed centering device 14. The plunger 12 carrying thedies 13 of the punch may be oper ated successively each time a differentportion of the flange of the annular section is properly centered inoperative position, and as the parts are rotated bodily to bring thedifferent portions of the flange into operative position the swivelconnection between the suspended parts of the apparatus and the craneserves as a turn-table to permit these parts to be easily rotatedindependently of the hoist or other support.

In operating upon annular sections whose diameters differ it would benecessary to adjust the guide 3 in each case so that the center of thetemplet, and consequently of the flange of the annular section, willoccupy a given position relatively to the punch to enable the aperturesto be accurately formed in the flange, and for this purpose thestandards 4, which support the guide, are capable of being shifted alongthe ways 6 and secured in such positions thereon that the centers of thedifferent-sized templets employed will occupy the proper positionrelatively to the perforating device.

An apparatus of the kind above described is particularly useful inhandling sections of tanks and other annular bodies of a similar naturewhich are usually massive and unwieldy, and by securing the section to atemplet and swinging the whole about a pivot the section may be easilyrotated into the various operative positions relatively to theperforating device, and by employing the guide which cooperates with thetemplet the perforations will be formed accurately and uniformly in allof the sections.

I claim as my invention 1. In an apparatus for positioning tanksectionsand analogous bodies during punching and similar operations, thecombination with the punching device, of a support, a templet revolublycarried by the support and adapted to retain the section in proper shapewhile being operated upon, and a guide arranged to cooperate with thetemplet and center the latter and the section in operative positionrelatively to the punching device,

2. The combination with a punch, and a work-support, of an annulartemplet sustained by the support and secured in fixed relation to thework to be operated upon, of cooperatively-arranged centering devicesongaging concentric portions of the templet at different points of itscircumference for maintaining a fixed axis for the templet and the workduring the punching operation.

3. The combination with a punch or other tool, a support for the work, atemplet adapted to be secured in fixed relation to the work, and havinga series of concentricallyarranged notches thereon and means forsuspending the templet and work from said support, ofcooperatively-arranged centering and positioning devices adapted toengage the templet at different points of its circumference to maintaina given axis therefor relatively to the tool, one of said devices havinga part adapted to cooperate with the notches of the templet to rotatablyposition it relatively to the tool.

4. The combination with the operatingtool, of a templet adapted toreceive a hollow annular body, and devices on the templet for drawingthe said body into proper shape relatively to the templet.

5. The combination with the operatingtool, of an annular templet adaptedto receive a correspondingly-shaped hollow body, and adjustable devicesarranged to cooperate with the inner surfaces of the said body at.

suitable intervals for drawing the said body into a given shaperelatively to the templet preparatory to being operated on by the tool.

6. The combination with the operatingtool, of an annular templet adaptedto receive a correspondingly-shaped hollow body, and a plurality ofradially-movable devices adapted to be moved outwardly to cooperate withthe inner surfaces of the body at suitable intervals for causing thelatter to conform to a given configuration.

7. The combination with the operatingtool, of an annular templet adaptedto re ceive a correspondingly-shaped hollow body, devices arranged atsuitable intervals around the templet and adapted to move outwardly andcooperate with the body causing the lat ter to conform to a givenconfiguration, and means for simultaneously operating the said devices.

8. The combination with the operatingtool, of an annular templet adaptedto receive a correspondingly-shaped hollow body, devices arranged atsuitable intervals around the templet and adapted to cooperate with thebody for causing the latter to conform to a given configuration,operatingrods connected to said devices, and a rotatable plateoperatively connected to the operating-rods for. simultaneouslyoperating the said devices.

9. The combination with the operatingtool, of an annular templet adaptedto receive a correspondingly-shaped body, devices thereon arranged tocooperate with the body for causing the latter to conform to a givenconfiguration, and a guide arranged to cooperate with the templet tocenter the latter and the body relatively to the tool.

10. The combination with the operatingtool', of an annular templetadapted to receive a correspondingly-shaped body, devices thereonarranged to cooperate with the body for causing the latter to conform toa given configuration, a guide arranged to cooperate with the templet tocenter the latter and the new body relatively to the tool, and means foradjusting the guide to accommodate bodies of different diameters.

11. The combination with the operatingtool, of an annular templetadapted to receive a correspondingly-shaped flanged body and having aseries of notches formed thereon, a stop arranged to cooperate with thenotches of said templet for positioning the latter and the flange of theannular body relatively to the operatingtool, and a guide adjustable tocorrespond with templets of different diameters, and arranged tocooperate with the templet and center the said body relatively to thetool.

12. The combination with the punchingmachine having a plurality of diesarranged in an arc of a predetermined radius, of an an nular templetadapted to be applied to a corconform to a given configuration, andclampreceive an annular row of perforations, said row to have a radiusequal to the radius of the arc of the dies, and a guide cooperating lrespondingly-shaped flanged body which is to tool, of a templet adaptedto receive an annular body, a support for the templet, and devices forcausing the body to conform to a given configuration relatively to thetemplet, and for securing the templet and body in fixeld relation whilebeing operated on by the too 14. The combination with the operatingtool,of a templet adapted to receive an annular body, devices on the templetfor causing the body to conform to a given configuration, and clamps forsecuring the templet and body in fixed relation.

15. The combination with the operatingtool, of a templet adapted toreceive an annular body, a support by means of which the templet isrevolubly supported, devices for revolubly supporting the said body,devices 5 on the templet for causing the said body to ing devices forsecuring the templet and body in fixed relation While the latter isbeing operated on by the said tool.

with a concentric surface on the templet for DAVID O. PAIGE. retainingthe templet and the said body cen- Witnesses: tered relatively to thedies of the tool. 1 CLARENCE A. BATEMAN,

13. The combination with the operating- G. WILLARD RICH.

